


Choices

by diaryofafunnyfan



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Future Fish, Alternate Universe - Splash Free, Lots of it, M/M, Multiple Alternate Universes, Pining, merman au, reality swapping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-27
Updated: 2017-07-27
Packaged: 2018-12-07 13:02:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11624085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/diaryofafunnyfan/pseuds/diaryofafunnyfan
Summary: Haruka has the ability to travel between alternate realities. There are some that are similar to his own, and then there are some that are drastically different. The thing that’s always the most different? Rin Matsuoka, of course.





	Choices

Haruka doesn’t know how he does it. One moment he’s sitting in his room, the next he finds himself in an alternate dimension. It’s happened ever since he started puberty. He never tells anyone what happens and he’s not sure if anyone can tell when he reality jumps. The switch always lasts until he falls asleep in whatever current reality he’s in.

There are a handful of different universes he’s been stuck in over the years. He never has a choice over which one he’ll land in, but he has his preferences.

 

In one reality, he’s a chef. He owns a café and his friends frequent it. In this reality, he never continued competitive swimming in high school but he was still friends with everyone. Also in this reality, Rin never moved to Australia and lost himself and instead focused on entering law enforcement.

It had taken a few trips to this universe to figure that out. When Rin never challenged Haruka to a race or Makoto never gave the two of them that concerned parent look he often gave them, Haruka decided to ask why.

‘Why would I? You always said you only swim free.’ Rin shrugged at Haruka’s question, going back to his green tea cake as if he hadn’t been interrupted.

‘And why would I be concerned about the two of you? Is there something you need to tell me?’ Makoto asked, looking up from his chocolate and strawberry cake.

‘No, it’s nothing.’ Haruka mumbled, ignoring the soot on Makoto’s nose and heading back inside his café.

An hour later, Sousuke appeared and ordered a coffee as he always did after a gruelling shift. ‘Has Rin ever told you about his time in Australia?’ Haruka asked him, feeling curious and bold.

Sousuke blinked at him in confusion. ‘How could he? He’s never left Japan.’

‘Never mind, forget I said anything.’ Haruka handed Sousuke his coffee, receiving a stare in return. Sousuke seemed to decide he wasn’t bothered with Haruka’s sudden and strange question and walked off with a quiet thank you.

That information helped Haruka put the pieces together. As children, both Rin and he had not decided to continue swimming.

Later that evening, when he was preparing for bed and the inevitable transportation back to his own reality, he got a goodnight text from Rin. That had happened the first time he had visited this reality as well, and every time in between. He had figured out where he lived thanks to the address label he placed on his keys. The text caught him off guard. His Rin never texted him like that. Judging from all the romance movies Ran and Gou had made him watch throughout the years, only couples typically texted like that. That didn’t stop Haruka from texting the sentiment back.

 

In another reality, he was an Arabian wanderer and peddler and Rin was a young Sultan. Makoto and Nagisa were merchants in Rin’s kingdom, while Rei and Sousuke were members of the royal guard.

‘Leave us.’ Rin told Sousuke and both Mikoshiba brothers (also members of the guard). Sousuke good-naturedly rolled his eyes and the Mikoshibas exchanged knowing grins as they exited Rin’s chambers.

Rin patted the chaise he was lounging on. ‘Sit with me.’ Rin smiled at Haruka. Haruka hesitantly obeyed Rin’s request. Rin shifted closer to Haruka and embraced him, stunning Haruka. While his Rin certainly never shied away from skinship, this was out of the ordinary. ‘I’ve missed you.’ Rin murmured, seemingly unaffected by Haruka’s shock.

Slowly, Haruka returned the embrace. ‘I missed you too.’ He whispered. He remembered those years in middle school he spent worried about Rin and his heart ached. Rin released his hold on Haruka and stood up.

‘I know you tend to be shy when you return from one of your journeys.’ Rin stated, giving Haruka that same fond smile. Haruka found himself nodding. The rest of the day passed with Rin conducting his business throughout the palace with Haruka by his side.

That night, Haruka fell asleep next to Rin in the same bed. No one seemed surprised by this fact, so Haruka wondered if he just might be Rin’s lover in this reality. Rin didn’t come on to him but falling asleep next to him again, even in a different reality, was soothing.

 

Haruka was shocked the first time he found himself in a universe where he and his friends were all mermen. This Rin certainly challenged Haruka to races. Nagisa excitedly watched whenever Rin and Haruka competed against each other, and they all ignored Makoto and Rei’s anxious cries. Sousuke found their races too amusing to attempt to intervene.

This Rin, apart from the characteristic competitiveness, enjoyed swimming in Haruka’s personal space. He also teasingly brushed tails with Haruka. Haruka noticed Rin did that with no one else and no one else did those gestures to him. When Haruka asked Makoto about it, Makoto gave Haruka a searching look.

‘Well, you’re mates after all.’ Makoto explained. This stunned Haruka for some reason. While he had suspected a romantic connection with Rin in other universes, not once had anyone outright said it. This didn’t stop Haruka from returning Rin’s flirtatious touches or holding his hand the way he had wanted to for quite some time.

 

In one reality, Rin never moved to Australia and attended both middle school and high school with Haruka and the others at Iwatobi. It felt wrong, not having Rei around or Sousuke in Rin’s shadow. Haruka wasn’t sure if he liked it.

The first time Haruka found himself in that reality, he approached Rei and asked him about Gou’s new diet plan for the team. Rei had been utterly confused and excused himself with an awkward goodbye. Makoto’s questioning look at Haruka’s actions told him in this reality Nagisa had never recruited Rei and they had never become a new team.

‘What were you talking to that guy for? We have to plan our relay.’ Rin insisted when Makoto told him about the interaction.

‘It’s nothing, I just made a mistake.’ Haruka mumbled. He ignored any probing from Makoto or Nagisa about how he had made such a mistake and ate his lunch, wary of Rin’s inquisitive gaze.

That afternoon after practice, Haruka, Rin, and Makoto all walked to Haruka’s neighbourhood together. On the steps, in front of Makoto’s house, Makoto gave them a smile before bidding them goodbye and disappearing inside. Haruka lead Rin up the last few steps and into his own house. When Rin kissed him after they removed their shoes in the entryway, Haruka wasn’t surprised.

 

In one reality, the reality Haruka hated the most, he and Rin had never reconciled after their falling out in middle school. Despite everything, he was still part of Iwatobi’s newly reformed swim club and Iwatobi and Samezuka kept arranging joint practices since Iwatobi needed an indoor pool at times. Haruka tried stopping himself from staring at Rin from across the pool (since this Rin always refused to go near him), but he never could control himself when it came to Rin. His stomach sank and his heart clenched each time he caught Rin glaring at him. Whenever he found himself in this reality, he wanted the day to end as quickly as possible so he could just go to sleep and return to his Rin.

 

There’s a universe where he’s married to Rin. Haruka finds himself fiddling with his ring whenever he’s in this world. He and Rin don’t wear their rings during practice or during large public occasions when appearing for Team Japan. Haruka knows both he and Rin would want their relationship kept on the down low. He tells himself he isn’t pleased whenever this Rin calls him “darling” or “honey” but his palpitating heart doesn’t lie. This world was the first time he found himself falling into bed with Rin in the most intimate way possible.

 

One day, in his own world after a particularly long practice, he and Rin are lounging around on his couch. It’s a habit of theirs they’ve had ever since Rin returned from Australia the second time. Haruka glances at Rin, who is scrolling idly on his phone, and in his lethargy, he pictures every Rin he’s come to know in his reality jumping travels. Police officer Rin, sultan Rin, merman Rin, his classmate Rin, angry Rin, and most importantly, the Rin who is his husband. Angry Rin made Haruka sad but he would give anything to have any of the Rins who held him close and kissed him.

So, throwing caution to the wind, Haruka sat up, catching Rin’s attention. ‘Haru?’

‘Rin, can I kiss you?’ After all this time, they’ve learned openness and honesty was the best policy. They had been gravitating around each other since the tender age of twelve, and if the other universes were any indication, it would only be a matter of time before they became something more than friends in this reality.

Rin’s eyes were almost the size of dinner plates and he gaped at Haruka for a few moments. ‘Are you screwing with me?’ His voice was low and imperatively serious.

‘No. I’ve been wanting to ask that for a while.’ Haruka admitted, not taking his eyes off Rin. Another few tense moments went by before Rin ultimately moved. “Finally…” Haruka thought as he closed his eyes and smiled into the kiss.


End file.
